Can the New York Giants take another step forward in their development this week by going on the road and defeating the 4-2 Denver Broncos? Or, will this be a reality check for the 2-4 Giants? See what the Big Blue View staff thinks in our Week 7 NFL picks.
Chris Pflum
One of the interesting aspects of the Giants’ 2-4 start to the season is that they’ve only beaten teams with winning records. And over the last three weeks they’ve had convincing wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles — though they’re around an embarrassing collapse against the New Orleans Saints. There are some asking “will the real New York Giants please stand up?”, but I tend to think both ends of the spectrum ARE the “real” Giants.
I said last week that the Giants are rounding into form as a team that can compete with anyone, but can also lose to anyone. They’re a young team on both sides of the ball and their depth chart is stretched thin at a couple position groups. The Giants’ offensive line, and offense as a whole, faces the toughest test of the year this week and I have no clue whether they’ll be able to move the ball against the Broncos’ defense. If they can, they have a real chance to win this game.
I’m not going to pick them to do so, but I can’t say I’d be surprised by a win. And that’s one hell of an improvement for the team.
Pick: Broncos
Tony DelGenio
I think I have only gotten one Giants game pick right this season, so my take plus $3 will get you a ride on the subway. In the Brian Daboll era, the Giants have had a way of occasionally drawing you in with a stirring victory, only to crush your spirit with an awful loss the next week (see 2022 playoff @MIN, then @PHI; or 2024 @SEA, then CIN; or 2025 LAC, then @NO). Not always, though (see 2022 GB @London, then BAL). Which will it be this time? I have no idea. Winning @DEN is a tough ask, first and foremost because of their ferocious pass rush, led by Nik Bonitto. Bonitto usually lines up on Andrew Thomas’ side. Thomas has mostly looked great this year. Occasionally though he can look bad, e.g., Myles Garrett was absolutely his daddy last year in Cleveland. How the AT-Bonitto matchup goes will have a lot to say about Jaxson Dart’s chances to find open receivers without a true WR1 against Denver’s quality man-heavy defense led by Pat Surtain II. The Giants may have a better chance to move the ball on the ground with their human billiard ball, Cam Skattebo. When the Giants are on defense, Denver’s OL is pretty impenetrable on the left side with Garrett Bolles at LT, but Mike McGlinchey on the other side can be had. QB Bo Nix has been efficient but not spectacular. He hasn’t been pressured much, but he’s been very affected by the rush when he has, so Job 1 for the Giants’ defense is to harass him and not give him time to find his best receiver, Courtland Sutton. I really shouldn’t, but let’s drink the Kool-Aid for one more week and hope that Lucy doesn’t pull the football away as Charlie Brown kicks.
Pick: Giants
David Hartman
Well, well, well. Congratulations to anyone who predicted that Big Blue would take down the defending Super Bowl champs last Thursday night. I certainly didn’t. And as impressive and encouraging as that win was, I won’t be picking the Giants to upset the Broncos on the road this week. It’s a particularly bad matchup, for reasons I’ll get to.
The Giants played their best game of the season last Thursday night, with solid and at times spectacular play from all three units. They’re now 2-0 at home with Jaxson Dart under center, and he has clearly sparked the team. He has no turnovers at home, but threw two costly picks in his one road game, which was a loss.
The Broncos are back from London where they prevailed 13-11 over the Jets in one of the most unwatchable games of this decade. The Broncos’ offense was awful, but their defense came to play and sacked Justin Fields nine times while holding the Jets to an unthinkable average of 1.4 yards per play. And that big-boy defense is my main concern this week. It’s ranked No. 2 overall at the moment (behind only the Falcons) and it’s by far the best unit Dart will have faced. What they’ve been especially good at is limiting QB rushing, and that has been Dart’s calling card. In six games, the Broncos have allowed just 46 rushing yards to QBs. And they’ve faced Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, and Daniel Jones, among others. If Dart can’t get first downs with his legs, the Giants aren’t going to be able to sustain drives.
On the other side of the ball, the Broncos have allowed just six sacks on the season – second best in the league. Again, a key strength of the Giants might be neutralized by a Broncos’ strength.
The arrow is pointing up for the G-Men, and I think their improving defense will give Bo Nix some problems, but I don’t see them pulling off the upset at Denver.
Pick: Broncos
James Hickey
“Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road,” is a quote attributed to runner Kara Goucher that is best to remember for Giant fans the rest of the year. Who could not be on a high talking about expectations for the rest of the year after the home win against the Eagles and the hope that rookie Jaxson Dart has provided?
But then comes the reality of going on the road to face one of the best defensives in the NFL in the Denver Broncos. And the worst thing maybe to happen for the Giants chances of winning was their high-profile win in primetime coupled with Denver’s uneven (to put it charitably) performance against the Jets. Any hope of the Denver overlooking the Giants went out the window when the left London to return to the Mile High City.
Dart has won praise for how he handled the defenses that the Eagles threw at him in their win; that will be taken to another level with Vance Joesph making the calls this Sunday. Sunday feels like one of those bumps in the road for the Ole Miss rookie and the Giants.
Pick: Denver 27, Giants 10
Valentine’s View
I think the Giants have a chance on Sunday. If they can play error-free football on offense and keep this to a game that takes somewhere around 17 to 20 points to win, they can come out of Denver with a victory.
I am not, though, brave enough to pick them to pull it off.
The defense Jaxson Dart is about to face is like nothing he has yet experienced in the NFL. It not only pressures the passer, but it also has been excellent against the quarterback run game. This could be an education for Dart.
Pick: Broncos
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